Among the newest generation of bands in the tradition of West Coast psychedelia, Triptides have blossomed into the role of elegant adventurers.
Led by guitarist, keyboardist and singer Glenn Brigman, with drummer Brendan Peleo-Lazar and bassist/guitarist Stephen Burns, the trio is continually discovering their sound through a complex map of familiar influences and bold choices in tonality, structure and texture.
This is a transformation long in the making. Starting in 2010 in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana, Brigman was making albums as Triptides with roommates and friends in a raw, Beach Boys-meet-Cleaners-From-Venus cassette-induced haze. Their albums Psychic Summer, Sun Pavilion and Colors made a mark and paved the way for greater things.
As the band moved West, so did their influences, and Los Angeles brought out a more sophisticated element in Triptides. Doors-inspired organ flourishes and driving, Stereolab-esque movements melded with the spirit of The Byrds in the Fifth Dimension to bring a potent melodic punch in the form of 2017’s Afterglow and 2018’s Visitors. All the while, the group developed their live sound touring and playing festivals in the US and Europe. 2018 also brought about Brigman’s collaboration with L.A.’s Samira Winter. Triptides and Winter created the tropicália-inspired Estrela Mágica and toured the US, now with Burns and Peleo-Lazar bringing an exciting new dynamic to the band.
As a trio on stage and in the studio, Triptides have opened up a new sonic world. Their live sound is bold, dynamic, synchronized chaos. On their records, they are adventurous and surprising—winning Shindig! magazine’s Single of the Year with the undeniably heady “Nirvana Now”—and forging a unique array of other singles throughout 2019 and 2020.
After last year’s otherworldly Alter Echoes, the group has joined up with L.A.’s Curation Records to release their forthcoming love letter to the Canyon Sound, So Many Days. Written and recorded in the San Bernardino mountains, these songs show a more grounded and pensive side of their ever-evolving sonic landscape. A whole new palette of sounds is gained, but nothing is lost. Even amidst acoustic and pedal steel guitars, the songs are unmistakably Triptides.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the tune “So Many Days,” a standout track that captures the band’s unique sound. Acoustically strummed with twangy electric guitar and a sunny psych-folk vibe, the song is the kind of laid back groover that is perfect for passing joints on a sunny day. The band does a fine job of mixing cosmic country with power pop and folk-rock to make for a supremely enjoyable track. The music culminates in a truly far out guitar solo that is heightened by harmonies before closing with a fuzzy jam.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Glenn Brigman describes the inspiration behind the song:
“‘So Many Days’ is an ode to a period where there was nowhere to go and no one to see. A period that coincided with a lot of questions and soul searching. Songs that are created in isolation are inherently understated because they are a message to the outside world. There is a clarity to music from bands like Big Star and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that captured the feeling of looking into the future in their time. We’re tapping into that vision.”
LISTEN:
Triptides’ new studio album So Many Days will be released on limited vinyl, CD and digital platforms this winter via Curation Records.
Photo credit: Alex Bulli
